Solo

[AriLea]

...Mostly visibility to other drivers was the biggest concern to me with the Solo....... I know the same thing can be said with a standard motorcycle.....

I test drove the Solo. Everyone seemed to see me and honk or wave. But that was likely the exception, just on that one street on a saturday. And yep, it was red.

I drive a silver 2020 Corolla. It needed some body work, so I had to rent a car. I rented a black Fiat 500. Just a little taller than the Solo;

And yep, I felt very disrespected driving that. People could see me for the most part, but definitely were more aggressive and other bad behaviors around that little car. A black Solo would be much worse I would guess, once they got used to them being around.

But just like motorcycle navigation, apply self-defence and assume nobody sees you. A small vehicle will allow more abuility to excape to empty corners of the roadway. Which you will need.

 

[3wheelin]

I test drove the Solo. Everyone seemed to see me and honk or wave. But that was likely the exception, just on that one street on a saturday. And yep, it was red.

I drive a silver 2020 Corolla. It needed some body work, so I had to rent a car. I rented a black Fiat 500. Just a little taller than the Solo;

And yep, I felt very disrespected driving that. People could see me for the most part, but definitely were more aggressive and other bad behaviors around that little car. A black Solo would be much worse I would guess, once they got used to them being around.

But just like motorcycle navigation, apply self-defence and assume nobody sees you. A small vehicle will allow more abuility to excape to empty corners of the roadway. Which you will need.

Drivers see a small car and assume they can outpace them. Well, my modified Beetle with 500 horses on tap is almost done....

 

[RSchneider]

I think what this demonstrates is that the three wheeler market is a niche. Too many startups use the phrases like "Huge demand" and "Massive Interest". Yet never come up with a number as to what that refers to. There's a huge interest and demand for Brunost. Yet I am willing to guess less than 1% here know what it is (I provided the link just so you know what it is). What is the reality of that interest or demand? What are the numbers? Market share?

For three wheelers, face it or not, they have to compete with the car market. Getting the motorcycle market, that's another issue. US bought 556K of them in 2022. That whole market consists of just a bit more than Chevy Pickup for sales.

When I hear of three wheelers going to sell 250K per year or even 50K per year, I have my doubts. Especially when a company claims to be producing 50K per year in 2025 yet has excess inventory and needed to shut down production to sell off excess inventory. The numbers need to be more realistic. Make a goal of 1K but spool up production at 500K with the option to expand. What investors want to see is actual orders in the pipeline exceeding the production. That's way easier to get funding for as opposed to hopes and dreams of people will buy it once they see it or drive it.

Solo sees this as they now have 800 sitting around and need to unload them. That's going to be a challenge and come at a big loss. People that like to tinker and mess around with stuff will buy them up and that will be it.

For three wheelers, it takes time and proven time on the road to convince people. Not that it can't be done, but it isn't going to happen overnight. Just like the whole EV thing. Long term, not short term and then make up excuses as to why your plan doesn't work.

 

[3wheelin]

I think what this demonstrates is that the three wheeler market is a niche. Too many startups use the phrases like "Huge demand" and "Massive Interest". Yet never come up with a number as to what that refers to. There's a huge interest and demand for Brunost. Yet I am willing to guess less than 1% here know what it is (I provided the link just so you know what it is). What is the reality of that interest or demand? What are the numbers? Market share?

For three wheelers, face it or not, they have to compete with the car market. Getting the motorcycle market, that's another issue. US bought 556K of them in 2022. That whole market consists of just a bit more than Chevy Pickup for sales.

When I hear of three wheelers going to sell 250K per year or even 50K per year, I have my doubts. Especially when a company claims to be producing 50K per year in 2025 yet has excess inventory and needed to shut down production to sell off excess inventory. The numbers need to be more realistic. Make a goal of 1K but spool up production at 500K with the option to expand. What investors want to see is actual orders in the pipeline exceeding the production. That's way easier to get funding for as opposed to hopes and dreams of people will buy it once they see it or drive it.

Solo sees this as they now have 800 sitting around and need to unload them. That's going to be a challenge and come at a big loss. People that like to tinker and mess around with stuff will buy them up and that will be it.

For three wheelers, it takes time and proven time on the road to convince people. Not that it can't be done, but it isn't going to happen overnight. Just like the whole EV thing. Long term, not short term and then make up excuses as to why your plan doesn't work.

Nope, ELIO MOTORS proved it with 65k + reservations and could've went beyond that with their ICE ELIO. The market is definitely there...and had they started selling, I bet these reservation holders are willing to pay more than the 7k+ starting price.

Vehicle reservations Elio Motors has received 65,000 vehicle reservations over the years, the vast majority of which were nonrefundable. The company told the SEC that it had previously brought in $26.9 million of nonrefundable deposits as of 2020 and another $1.1 million in refundable deposits. Source: Google

 

[AriLea]

You know the issue is not actually 3 vs 4 wheels. It's cost vs benefit.
The owner side has a cost vs benefit calculation, and the maker side has thier own. And both have a capital investment up front vs operational breakdown to consider.

We would like to see a match up between volumes of buyers and huge lot sizes, which equals larger sales. Anyone with money just easilly finds all kind of other ways to get a better/faster return.

A low price vehicle at high volumes has always been a tuff deal to set up (Added: in the USA/Canada). 3's just tend to be smaller, and suffer a lack of support because of that.

That is one pitfall of capitalisum(USA style). What benefits the wider population can be in opposition to the interests of a controlling individual.

One of the worst 3 wheelers ever made (in the west), sold pretty well in England for many years. (worst for roll-over)

And China, well there I think 3 wheels hit the road more than any other type except scooters.

 

[Mark BEX]

When I hear of three wheelers going to sell ... 50K per year,

I absolutely believe Elio could sell 50,000, it's the next 50,000 I have serious doubts about.

i.e. a 'fixed figure' market, once the 50,000 who want them have them, it will turn into a trickle, and there's been a few niche cars that has actually happened to.

 

[3wheelin]

I absolutely believe Elio could sell 50,000, it's the next 50,000 I have serious doubts about.

i.e. a 'fixed figure' market, once the 50,000 who want them have them, it will turn into a trickle, and there's been a few niche cars that has actually happened to.

Well there ya go, we'll never really find out won't we......but there's no denying those 65k non-refundables and 1.1 million refundables are not made up, it was there and all ELIO MOTORS need is to start selling that first 50k...they had their chance.

 

[Mark BEX]

And China, well there I think 3 wheels hit the road more than any other type except scooters.

There are delta 3 wheelers everywhere, 10s of millions of them, and that is not an exaggeration. Mostly tradesmen workhorses, carrying their gear around, as well as many used for transporting product around all the towns and out burbs, as they are not usually allowed in tier 1 city centrals.

Often when I buy stuff I go along for the ride ..

streets of city 2

www.youtube.com

 

[RSchneider]

Well there ya go, we'll never really find out won't we......but there's no denying those 65k non-refundables and 1.1 million refundables are not made up, it was there and all ELIO MOTORS need is to start selling that first 50k...they had their chance.

So they had 65K non-refundables and 1.1 million refundables?

 

[Mark BEX]

So they had 65K non-refundables and 1.1 million refundables?

I don't know all the details, but apparently they had aprox 22,000 x $1,000 deposits, and the over 40,000 rest were $100 deposits.

Just bizzare to me that they aren't selling cars today with $22+ million in deposits, what fantastic mismanagement, or something sinister.